Vacuum clothes dryer



27, 1968 c. w LAMBERT 3,398,463

VACUUM CLOTHES DRYER Filed Aug. 14, 1967 3 s t g l INVENTOP 27, 1968 c. w. LAMBERT 3,398,463

VACUUM CLOTHES DRYER Filed Aug 14, 196'. 6 Sheets-Sheet i INVENTOR.

Aug. 27, 1968 w. LAMBERT VACUUM CLOTHES DRYER Filed Aug. 14, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet QQQQ INVENTOR. C. W. LAMBERT United States Patent 3,398,463 VACUUM CLOTHES DRYER Chandley W. Lambert, Box 56, Lake Dallas, Tex. 75065 Filed Aug. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 660,307 Claims. (Cl. 34-92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention comprises conical perforations in a slowly rotating basket in a vacuum drum. The basket is rotated by a sliding armature in a coil. The coil is controlled by an improved contacting device. An extension of the armature swings an arm carrying a pawl which turns a ratchet wheel loose on the basket shaft. A flat coiled spring connects the ratchet wheel to a crank wheel secured to the basket shaft. There is a dual heat unit for heat control.

The invention is an improvement of Patent No. 3,229,382 of Ian. 18, 1966, and Patent No. 3,308,553 of Mar. 14, 1967, and of application Ser. No. 641,688, filed May 26, 1967.

In the drawing FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the dryer, partly in section. FIG. 2 is a large scale detail of the conical basket perforations. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the double unit heater. FIG. 4 shows the form and operation of the improved contactor. FIG. 5 shows a flexible drive for the basket shaft. It changes the intermittent movement of the ratchet wheel to fairly even slow rotation of the basket.

In all figures of the drawing the same parts have the same reference numbers.

In FIG. 1, the frame 1 supports the cylindrical vacuum drum 2 which has a curved front end plate 3 with door 4 and a curved rear end plate 5 with removable cover 6. The rotatable basket 7 has conical perforations 8, FIGS. 1 and 2, which prevent catching hooks and buttons but allow a flow of air through the basket.

Spaced baffies 9 within the basket help turn the clothes as the basket slowly rotates. Wheels 10 support the forward end of the basket and shaft 11 at the rear rotates the basket. An internal frame 12 supports the shaft bearing and the shaft rotating mechanism in space 26 consisting of a magnetic coil, a guided armature, a swinging arm and pawls and a ratchet wheel, as shown and described in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,308,553, with the added flexible drive shown in FIG. 5.

A heater box 13 with open top fits against the lower part of drum 2. A small heater unit 14, FIGS 1 and 3, is connected to the heat sensitive thermostatic switch at 18. A larger heat unit -15 furnishes most of the heat used in the drying process.

Secured within box 13 are porcelain blocks 17, into which are secured supports 16 which hold heater units 14 and 15.

Thermostat 18 regulates the temperature in box 13 by cutting small heat unit 14 in and out.

Air enters the box 13 at 19 and passes through the adjustable air leak 20. Air and water vapor are drawn out of the top of drum 2 at suction port 21 through suction line 22 and discharged at 23 by vacuum pump 24 and motor 25.

In console 27 are switches 28 and the contactor controlling basket rotation.

An improved contactor, FIG. 4, shows a rocking lever 29 pivoted at 30. It is actuated by compression spring 31 and cam 32 which is secured to shaft 33 which is rotated by a manually wound spring or by a small geared-down motor. Cam 32 is rotated about 30 revolutions per minute.

The gap 34 between lever 29 and cam 32 is important. It insures that the contacts will close in a positive manner after years of service. Insulation at 35 and 38 prevents grounding and short circuits. Contactor 37 has a pivot at 36 which allows limited movement. Terminals 39 and 40 are the circuit connections. Contacts 41 and 42 are contacted by contactor 37, closing the circuit to the ratcheting coil located at 26.

The contactor is a single pole switch, closed by spring 31 and opened by cam 32.

In FIG. 5, 11 is the basket shaft, 43 is a ratchet wheel loose on shaft 11, 45 is a crank wheel secured to shaft 11, and 44 is a fiat drive spring, the ends of which are secured to crank pins which are secured to ratchet wheel 43 and to crank wheel 45.

In FIG. 6, which is an electrical diagram of the circuits which tie the operating parts together, 14 is the small heater unit, 18 is the heat sensitive thermostatic switch which opens the circuit when the temperature of the air in the heater box becomes excessively higher. 15 is the large heater unit. 25 is the motor which drives the vacuum pump. 46 is the electromagnetic ratcheting coil which slo wly rotates the basket.

37 is the contactor which closes the circuit between 39 and 40 to energize coil 46. 52 is a small motor which is connected to shaft 33, FIG. 4, through a speed reducing gear train, so as to rotate the cam 32 about thirty times per minute.

In the console 27, FIG. 6, 28 is the main switch. 47 is the switch in the circuit to large heating unit 15, 48 to small heating unit 14, 49 to the ratcheting coil 46, 50 to small motor 52, and 51 to the vacuum pump motor 25.

In operation, switches 28, 47 and 48 are closed a few minutes before the wet clothes are put in. This is to warm up the basket and air inside of the drum. After the wet clothes are in and the cover is closed, switches 49, 50 and 51 are closed. In a few seconds the vacuum is established, the fibers expand to flufliness and the removal of Warm moisture-laden air starts immediately.

FIG. 7 is a view of the basket rotating mechanism, as viewed with the end bell 5 of FIG. 1 removed.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the same.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, 2 is the drum, 12 the interior frame, 44 is the fiat coiled spring with one end connected to crank wheel 45 secured to basket shaft 11. The other end of spring 44 is secured to ratchet wheel 43 which is loose on shaft 11.

In FIG. 7, coil 46 has slidable armature 54, armature extension 55, cam follower post 56, guide 57 secured to 12 and compression spring 58 which biases armature 54 to the right. When coil 46 is energized armature 54 moves to the left, compressing spring 58 and swinging arm 59 to the left. Pawl 60 turns sprocket wheel 43 a tooth or two. This tends to wind up spring 44 and tends to turn shaft 11. The forward movement of wheel 43 is held by holding pawl 61 which is pivoted on frame 12.

The advantages of the vacuum clothes dryer are many:

(1) The fibers softened by the washing process, expand in the vacuum and are dried that way resulting in a softness and flufiiness not otherwise possible.

(2) Since water vaporizes at a much lower temperature in a partial vacuum, the dryer can operate at a lower temperature than ordinary heat dryers. The delicate fabrics are not scorched by the heat.

(3) Since the vacuum reaches into every portion of the clothes there is no necessity for rapid basket rotation. The dry fibers are not pounded into lint. Lint costs the same as the clothes it comes from. Lint costs a family of four people $30 per year.

(4) One half of the water is vaporized and removed in 3 the first quarter of drying time. The total drying time is less than half of that required by ordinary heat dryers.

I claim:

1. A vacuum clothes dryer comprising, an external frame; a pressure tight drum secured within said frame; a rotatable perforated basket within said drum; a shaft secured to said basket; a ratcheting means for rotating said basket cooperating with said shaft; an open topped heater box secured to the lower part of said drum; insulator blocks secured within said box; dual heater units secured to said blocks within said box; an adjustable leak secured to said drum within said box allowing a flow of warm air from said box into said drums; a. vacuum pump and motor removing saturated air and vapor from said drums; a console secured to said frame above said drum; control switches in said console; a contactor in said console connected to said ratcheting means; and a flexible connection between said ratcheting means and said basket, said flexible connection changing intermittent movement of said ratcheting means to slow rotation of said basket.

2. A vacuum clothes dryer, as claimed in claim 1, and conical perforations in said basket which prevent the catching of hooks and buttons and allow a flow of air through said basket.

3. A vacuum clothes dryer, as claimed in claim 1, and dual heating units in said heating box; one said unit being of smaller heating capacity than the other said unit; a heat sensitive thermostatic switch secured to said box and connected to control the smaller said heating unit; and supports secured into said insulating blocks, supporting said heater units above said blocks to prevent rapid deterioration of said blocks by radlated heat.

4. A vacuum clothes dryer, as claimed in claim 1, and a contactor comprising a switch which is opened by a cam and closed by a spring; a gap between said cam and a lever of said contactor when said contactor is in the closed position; and an insulated contactor, with restricted rotative motion around a pivot, contacting contacts which closes a circuit to said ratcheting means tor basket rotation.

5. A vacuum clothes dryer, as claimed in claim 1, and a flexible connection between said ratcheting means and said shaft comprising a ratchet wheel loose on said shaft; a crank wheel secured to said shaft; crank pins secured to said ratchet wheel and said crank wheel; and a flat coil spring whose ends are secured to said crank pins for the purpose of changing the intermittent motion of said ratchet wheel to regular constant rotation of said basket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,818 12/1918 Boy -39 3,308,553 3/1967 Lambert 34-92 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

A. D. HER-RMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

